


With These Wings

by Hekate1308



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-18
Updated: 2017-04-18
Packaged: 2018-10-20 12:31:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10662657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hekate1308/pseuds/Hekate1308
Summary: It started out slowly. There was just – nothing to worry about. He was going on forty, after all. A few twinges in his back were nothing to consider. Neither was his back itching. So what if his skin was dry.





	With These Wings

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ordered_Chaos](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ordered_Chaos/gifts).



> A year ago I met ordered_chaos on tumblr, we ended up in a group chat with other friends, and it all spiralled from there. Here's to a great year of friendship, and many more to come! I know you love wing!fic, so enjoy!

It started out slowly.

There was just – nothing to worry about.

He was going on forty, after all. A few twinges in his back were nothing to consider. Neither was his back itching. So what if his skin was dry.

Dean had much more important things to consider.

For example the fact that a short while ago, he and Cas had definitely become a _them_.

As in, doing the do. Sharing a bed. Kissing. Cuddling when Sam couldn’t see. That kind of stuff.

True, Cas didn’t need to sleep, but he still spent his nights with Dean. Long gone were the times where Dean considered it creepy that he liked watching him sleep.

So yeah, things had been kind of awesome (gentle mocking from Sam about rose-tinted vision notwithstanding).

And if Cas really liked holding his hand in public and complimenting him, making waitresses coo over them on a regular, well...

Dean kind of liked it too.

And then came the day when he woke up and couldn’t get out of bed.

Normally, he would probably have made a joke because he was getting old, but that was the last thing on his mind considering his back was on fire.

He made a strangled noise.

Sam was on his side in an instant.

At least they’d wrapped up their last hunt the night before, Cas having made a detour to visit Claire.

“Back hurts” he managed to tell his brother.

“Let me check...”

He heard Sam swallow. That couldn’t be good.-

“What – “

“Just lie still. I’ll call Cas.”

His phone was already ringing, which had probably something to do with Cas being on his mind constantly these days.

“Cas? No, we’re alright, it’s just... Dean can’t get up... he’s in pain.”

He’d barely finished pronouncing “pain” before the flutter of wings told Dean that his boyfriend had arrived.

“Dean?”

He laid a gentle hand on his back –

But the pain stayed.

Dean made another noise.

The hand on his back again, stroking, soothing even if it couldn’t take the pain away.

“I’ll return soon. There’s something – I will have to ask Joshua. Please, Sam, try and keep him as comfortable as possible”.

Cas disappeared.

Sam was stuck helping Dean find a position he didn’t want to scream in agony in.

Turned out he could lie on his side with minimal discomfort.

It was something.

“How does it feel?” Sam asked.

“Not good” he answered through gritted teeth.

Sam sighed, gently sitting down next to him.

“I know that. I was just hoping I could help, do some research...”

“Sammy...”

He knew that his brother just wanted to make him feel better, of course. Dean took a deep breath and made the effort.

“It’s... a warm, heavy pain? Not hot like an infection, but warm, and it’s like... there’s something pulling at my muscles.”

Sam nodded.

“Cas can’t come back soon enough” Dean added.

“Isn’t that what you think every time he leaves?”

“Shut up Sam.”

Cas did return a few hours later just after Sam had left to get some grub.

Dean had against all odds managed to doze off when he was suddenly startled awake by Cas gathering him in his arms.

The pain was nothing when he felt Cas shake.

“Cas? What’s going on?”

“This is my fault” the angel admitted, his face pressed against Dean’s shoulder.

“What are you talking about? You did nothing wrong – “

Dean” he interrupted him gently. “I –“

He extracted himself from the hunter much gentler than he had grabbed him before.

He walked around the bed so Dean could look at him properly.

Oh God. Cas looked like crap.

Dean reached out to him and winced.

“Don’t!” Cas told him. “Please, Dean...”

“What’s going on?”

“The pain should go away in a few days if... if we decide to discontinue our relationship.”

That was it. Dean sat up, disregarding the pain flaring up in his back.

“What?”

“Dean, your back – “

“Who cares about my back?”

Their relationship had made Dean happier than he’d been in – well, ever. He wasn’t going to let Cas walk away because of something some feathered dick had told him.

“I want an explanation” he announced.

“I will tell you everything, but only if you lie down again...”

Dean had just settled down on the bed once more when Sam came back.

“Hey, Cas. Did you – “

“Oh yeah, he figured something out alright. Turns out the magical cure is us breaking up without me getting a say – “

“Dean, I told you I would explain”.

“Then freaking start already!”

Cas sighed.

“Humans and angels... There’s a reason humans don’t survive the birth of a nephilim. The two were never supposed to interact much, let alone fall in love. But our Father... he realized that sometimes it was more than lust that brought the two together. But carrying a nephilim was still incredibly dangerous.”

“Cas, I can’t really give birth...”

“Father has never made a difference between the genders. The point is, at times when... when the couple truly loves each other” Cas said softly, “a special bond would be created – not unlike that we already share – to ensure they could be together forever, on earth and in Heaven.”

“And how does that make my back hurt?”

He was glad he was lying down because the answer would have knocked him flat.

“You are growing wings”.

Stupidly, the first thing that came to his mind was “I hate flying”.

Sam snorted before asking, “Won’t that hurt him permanently?”

“No. Once the wings are grown, the pain will vanish. And while Dean will be stronger and quicker than he has before, my powers will diminish slightly so we’re evenly matched.”

“But that won’t happen if we split up” Dean said quietly.

“No.”

Sam realized he was intruding on a private moment and quietly excused himself. It was Dean’s decision to make.

“So what exactly does this bond entail? You said we’d be together forever...”

“We would. You’d essentially... become like me.”

“Immortal?”

Cas nodded.

“I could fly though, right? So I could go to Heaven and see Sammy once...” he trailed off. Sam’s demise was not something he was good with thinking about. Ever.

“Yes, but Dean... no one could tell me how bad the pain will get before you... And do you... forever is a long time.”

But Dean already knew the answer.

Hell, what else could he do? Saying no meant waiting forever in Heaven, if he even got that far, for Cas to drop in.

And Dean wasn’t good at waiting.

Especially since he had found the one guy who actually made him feel good about himself, and was dumb enough to want him back.

How could he give that up?

Life was never going to be normal anyway.

Plus, more strength could only be useful for hunts.

“I’m sure, Cas. This was never going to be a short term thing anyway.”

Cas chuckled.

“It’s going to be a bit longer than “short term” indeed.”

Dean would never admit it, but he thought Cas was adorable when he did the quoty fingers thing.

“Come here” he mumbled. “This is going to get worse before it gets better and I deserve a good cuddle.”

A flash of guilt crossed Cas’ face (making Dean feel worse) before he complied.

Dean was right.

The pain got worse over the next few days, and soon fever swept through his body as well, his head aching, his mind clouded.

He was pretty sure Cas and Sam stayed at his side the whole time, but he couldn’t say for certain.

Once, he woke up semi-aware, and it was dark, and he could hear his lover pray desperately, _Please, Father, he is suffering, do not –_

He fell asleep again. 

And then it ended.

He had no idea what day it was, but he had just woken up and he felt good.

No, scratch that.

He felt _amazing_.

Better than he had before, that was for sure.

He turned around, surprised to find Cas asleep next to him.

The... bond must have been formed. Cas was weaker now, closer to human than he’d been ever since he got his Grace back.

And Dean...

He already felt that they wouldn’t need to eat and sleep much.

He gently sat up, not wanting to disturb Cas’ rest yet.

Dean was not surprised to find Sam asleep on the floor.

He got out of bed and shook his shoulder.

“Wh – Dean!” Sam beamed.

“How are you feeling?”

“Fine.”

Sam shook his head, chuckling to himself.

“What?”

“I can tell. Have you looked in a mirror yet?”

Rather than answering, Dean went into the bathroom.

Huh. He didn’t look a day older than thirty.

And probably never would again, if what Cas told him was true.

That would take some getting used to, especially when everyone else they knew grew old. He swallowed.

No. He’d made his decision, and he would do it again.

Then he remembered something else and quickly took off his t-shirt.

His back looked like it always had. There were no wings he could see.

“They’re on a different plane now” Cas said. “I can show you how to manifest them”.

“Does this mean I can see yours properly too?” Dean asked, excited at the prospect.

“Please tell me this is not a euphemism” Sam called out from the room.

He rolled his eyes.

“Come on, Sammy, you know me.”

“Exactly.”

Cas drew him in for a soft kiss.

“I bet your wings are beautiful” he muttered.

Dean blushed.

“You can’t reduce a guy to his wings, Cas.”

“You said it wasn’t a euphemism!”

Over the next few days, Dean tested out the limits of his new powers.

Apparently he could heal most injuries, he didn’t need to eat and sleep often (although a few times a week) and he could talk to Cas telepathically which was a huge bonus on hunts.

But he still hadn’t allowed Cas to show him how to manifest his wings.

Not because he ddin’t want to, but because he knew Cas would want them to fly together and – well –

Flying in a plane was scary enough, thank you.

He could tell his boyfriend was waiting, however.

He just kept stealing these small glances at Dean’s back, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.

And so, once they had returned to the bunker, Dean decided to let him see.

“Hey, Cas” he said one night after Sam had gone to bed, “How do I go about showing off my wings?”

Cas’ smile was wide and dazzling.

“It’s easy”.

Dean snorted.

“no, really – you just have to will them into this plane.”

“How am I supposed – “

“Close your eyes and concentrate” Cas instructed him, taking his hand.

Okay. He took a deep breath and complied.

_Alright. Wings. Show up. Manifest or whatever. You sure hurt like a son of a bitch when you were growing, so you better –_

Cas’ gasped.

“Dean – they’re beautiful.”

He opens his eyes to find –

“Not as beautiful as yours” he breathed.

Black, slightly shining wings, and all so Cas, so unmistakably and wonderfully Cas –

His own looked boring in comparison. Green and brown feathers, intertwined, as if –

Cas gently touched one of Dean’s wings with his own.

Oh.

Now that wasn’t boring at all.

Another few weeks later, Cas and Sam having been trying to encourage him at every turn, Dean finally agreed to try and fly.

Cas suggested he would be more comfortable with his wings being visible, so they were standing in a field with Sam trying not to stare at the shadows his human eyes could see on his brother’s and practically brother-in-law’s back.

“You’ll catch me if I fall, right?” Dean asked again.

“You won’t fall” Cas promised him. “And I’ll be by your side”.

“As always” he said softly.

Cas smiled happily at him.

Sam cleared his throat.

“Dean, not that I am not happy for you, but wasn’t there some flying you’re supposed to be doing?”

“Shut it, bitch.”

“Jerk” Sam shot back.

Dean took a deep breath. He could do this.

“Alright”.

“Just let it happen” Cas said softly.

They weren’t going to fly far. Just a quick round around the freaking state, according to Cas, who one of these days really should learn the definition of “far”.

He could do this.

He reached out to take Cas’ hand and extended his wings.

And together they flew.


End file.
